What Else is our Favorite Family Up To? (Matchflick column RE: Simpsons talent)

 

 

 

Spare him your euphemisms! 

 In my last column, I had the opportunity to talk about the sexy and talented Hank Azaria and his work outside of The Simpsons, which got me to thinking about the other amazing artists involved with The Simpsons but whose careers are not limited to the show. It’s hard to imagine these brilliant artists have the time and energy to do more than create our favorite show about our favorite family, but indeed they do!

For example, the people who supply some of our favorite voices have no shortage of work, such as Russi Taylor and Tress MacNeille, who work together also on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Taylor provides the voice of one of my faves, Martin Prince, and as well as Sherri & Terri, among others. MacNeille also supplies many character voices; among my faves are Jimbo, Brandine, and Agnes Skinner (quite the range, eh?)

Yeardley Smith is best known for being the voice of Lisa Simpson, but she also starred in the ever-cherished Herman’s Head, played the only likeable character in AS GOOD AS IT GETS (1997), and was Putter in THE LEGEND OF BILLIE JEAN (1985). And sisters, if you have not seen BILLIE JEAN, do yourself a favor and put it on your queue! It’s even more feminist, provocative, and energizing now than it was back when I was a tweener, when “Fair

 

He looks sweet and mild, but don’t tick him off.

is fair” struck me as more than just an illogical catchphrase and “Invincible” by Pat Benatar was an inspiring anthem.

Harry Shearer is the voice behind many of the funniest and/or most beloved Simpsons characters, such as Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Burns, Smithers, Otto, Reverend Lovejoy, Dr. Hibbert, Lenny, and, of course, Scratchy (among many, many others). But with his versatile voice and terrific singing ability, Shearer has appeared in oodles of films, including his role as G. Gordon Liddy in DICK (1999) and perhaps most famously as Derek Smalls in THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984). He also shows off those pipes in A MIGHTY WIND (2003), which might be the most underrated of the Guest, et al films.

David Silverman has been with the The Simpsons since its birth on The Tracey Ullman Show as animator, producer, creative consultant (whatever that is) and director – in addition to directing many episodes of the show, Silverman brilliantly directed THE SIMPSONS MOVIE (2007). In 2005, he got in front of the camera to teach a drawing lesson (watch “Goo Goo Gai Pan” on Hulu or wherever if you don’t know what I’m talking about. You’ll thank me).

Silverman has also worked for Pixar and DreamWorks – he co-directed THE ROAD TO EL DORADO and the sassy MONSTERS,

 

I really liked her on Dharma and Greg, too.

INC. with UP and WALL-E’s Pete Docter (a fellow Minnesotan, I might add) and was storyboard artist on ROBOTS.

Clearly, Silverman’s career of the last 20 years or so is impressive, sure, but perhaps the most intriguing thing you’ll find on Silverman’s IMDb page is the head animator credit (albeit spelled incorrectly) for the short TOM WAITS FOR NO ONE. In the 1990s, other Tom Waits fans and I spoke in hushed, revered tones of this film, not knowing whether to believe those who claimed to have seen it, but being jealous of them all the same just in case it could be true. If only we’d had YouTube, like the spoiled college kids of today:
According to Variety, Silverman is slated to direct a live-action film for MGM, an adaptation of the children’s book The Facttracker. Also on his schedule, IMDb reports Silverman will be directing a Disney film called THE PET,

 

Drawin’ Krusty. Just another day at the office.

in which a group of aliens make a human their pet. Let’s just hope he’s not a businessman, which is a big responsibility. (Inside Kids in the Hall reference, which I hope you get).

If you’re not already following Silverman on Twitter*, do so now (tubatron). He’s funny, announces his groups’ appearances around LA (They are called Vaud and the Villains– hint: his handle is “tubatron” for a reason!) and likes to share the occasional photo (like the one I borrowed above). And maybe eventually he’ll share some 140-character anecdotes about his upcoming films with his followers as he sees fit (hint hint).

*If you’re not already following me on Twitter, what’s wrong with you? You can follow me (duve) and/or the awesome duo of Dr. Karma and me (Simpsonology).

Happy Father’s day, fathers!
xoxo,
Du

 

America – Great Places, Great Films (Fourth of July Matchflick column)

The iconic bridge vista in MANHATTAN

Sure, things aren’t ideal across our great land. For example, as of this week I’m out of a job, like many other hardworking, brilliant Americans, but there are many reasons to feel patriotic this year. Our country has an amazing person in the White House, Serena brought another championship home,* Sarah Palin is quitting her job before it quits her.

Overall, it’s a Happy Independence weekend! I have decided to honor America by showcasing some great American films that are named for some of our amazing places.

Many made the brainstorming list—SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE and PHILADELPHIA, for example, but I wanted choices that everyone hasn’t already seen. I jotted down KANSAS and MILWAUKEE, MINNESOTA, but figured I’d do better writing about films that I have seen. I thought of FEELING MINNESOTA, but I like you, dear readers, and no one should see that trainwreck. Hence, here is my celebration of the diversity of this land and its artful filmmaking, every one of them named for a place in one of our glorious 50 states, and each one a film I would be happy to recommend.

NIAGARA (1953)
Neglected by critics and audiences, NIAGARA is a fabulous movie! Set in Niagara Falls (as you may have guessed), this thriller stars Marilyn Monroe as Rose Loomis, who is visiting the Falls with her husband George, an unhinged WWII vet (Joseph Cotten). Rose has taken a young lover, and together they plan to use this trip to off George. NIAGARA may be Monroe’s first seriously dramatic role, and she pulls it off handsomely. The

Marilyn in that red dress

famous “walking scenes” and the essence of her in that red dress work together, under the strong direction of Arthur Hathaway, to explain why otherwise good and moral men can be persuaded to do something bad, even murder.

MANHATTAN (1979)
This terrific rom-com might be my favorite of Woody Allen’s films. Visually, it’s stunning; filmed in black and white with many memorable views of the city, and it introduced audiences to Mariel Hemingway, who received an Oscar nomination and was only 16 during the filming. As Tracy, she captures the audience’s hearts and her acting is so strong that she convinces us that a lovely, mentally healthy teenager would willingly date a neurotic 42-year-old writer who looks surprisingly like Woody Allen.

HAPPY, TEXAS (1999)
While there is actually a town in Texas called Happy, this movie was not filmed there. I forgive it for two reasons: it wasn’t filmed in, say Calgary, and it is so frakkin’ hilarious. Picture this scenario: Two straight escaped convicts arrive in a town with hopeful expectations that a gay duo they are waiting for will organize their silly little beauty pageant. The two (played by Steve Zahn and Jeremy Northam) serendipitously pose as this gay couple, but not everyone is so trusting: the town sheriff (William H. Macy) is a skeptical closeted homosexual attracted to one of the tricksters. How could hilarity not ensue?

BUFFALO ‘66 (1998)
I can think of few better

You’ll never forget the bowling alley scene in Buffalo ‘66

screenplays than the one for BUFFALO ‘66, written by, directed by, and starring Vincent Gallo. Gallo plays Billy Brown, a gambler who did hard time because he couldn’t pay his gambling debt, vowing to get his revenge on the Bills’ kicker who missed a field goal and, Billy feels, is the reason for his bad luck and incarceration. After his release, Billy kidnaps Layla (Christina Ricci) on his way to visit his parents. He forces her to pretend to be his love interest from the life that he invented in his letters home. Anjelica Huston has perhaps the best character, Billy’s mother, a horrible woman who blames Billy for all the pain that all Buffalo Bills fans have endured, starting with his birth in 1966 to the present.

KEY LARGO (1948)
Starring Lauren Bacall and her husband Humphrey Bogart, KEY LARGO was not filmed in Florida at all, but that’s kind of not the point. Bogart plays Frank McCloud, who is recently stateside after serving in WWII. He travels to Key Largo to greet Nora, the widow of his brave WWII comrade. He finds Nora (Bacall) with her wheelchair-bound father (Lionel Barrymore) in a backwater hotel that’s been taken over by some gangsters waiting for a hurricane to pass. In his state of malaise, at first McCloud is reluctant to do anything, but eventually he is motivated to act, and then it gets really good.

JERSEY GIRL (2004)
I know I’m gonna hear it about this one.

“You just like it because it’s named after a Tom Waits song!” Naysayers will suggest. “That’s only why I

How did Bogart score such a stand up babe?

first agreed to see it,” I’ll counter.

“Kevin Smith’s worst film,” you’ll say. I’ll respond with, “Oh, yeah, did you ever see MALL RATS?”

“Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez in the same movie equals disaster,” you’ll note. “But she’s dead the whole movie!” I’ll defend.

“Formulaic!” you’ll say. “Yeah, a little!” I’ll retort indignantly.

Alright, I’m going to make a little stand here. No, JERSEY GIRL probably didn’t change any lives. But it gave a couple hours of romantic comedy-grade entertainment. And the Sweeney Todd bit is pretty funny. Yes, JERSEY GIRL got a bad rap. People didn’t know what to make of Kevin Smith making a regular movie with crewmembers and actors outside of his regular entourage. There’s no Jay or Silent Bob in JERSEY GIRL. And when it came out, I myself asked how a Kevin Smith movie could possibly be rated PG-13. What, no snowballing? But I appreciated the fact that he branched out; that required cojones. It’s a rom-com, but it’s a strong rom-com. Liv Tyler is adorable as the video store girl, and except for voice work, this was George Carlin’s last movie role, and his role was, like the whole film, a combination of great moments of humor and underlying intelligence and sensitivity.

So, you see, the idea that liberals don’t love America is bullplop. I love my country and the beautiful art it creates. Happy Independence Day!

*At the time of this writing, the men’s Wimbledon finals hadn’t been played yet, so it’s possible that Andy Roddick brought one home for the U.S. of A., too! w00t!

Purple Rain & First Ave’s Reign (Matchflick column celebrating the anniversary of PURPLE RAIN)

For some reason, July 27 is a special day. In 2007, THE SIMPSONS MOVIE was released on that day. In 1984, the film PURPLE RAIN was released on that day. And sometime in the 1970s, I was born on that day. Back in the day, I loved Michael Jackson, Madonna and, of course, Prince. Friends and I would have long discussions about who we liked better. (For some reason, we suburban white kids grouped Michael and Prince together simply because they were black, and it didn’t occur to us that we didn’t have to choose.) Although PURPLE RAIN was mostly filmed a few miles from my home, I wasn’t allowed to see it because it was rated R. But just because the movie was forbidden didn’t mean the album was off limits. Oh, the songs: “Let’s Go Crazy” at middle school dances, slow dances to “Purple Rain” and the controversy of “Darling Nikki.” (“‘Masturbating with a magazine’?” I wondered what that meant for maybe a full year until a magical day when a light bulb went on over my head.) These songs were a huge part of my childhood and on till today; these songs get regular play on my iPod. Finally seeing PURPLE RAIN was magnificent – I rented it from the local video store/tanning salon when I was in high school – and I have since realized how ahead of its time the film really was. While the blending of   Apollonia Kotero

music with the action was nothing new, the way PURPLE RAIN does it is refreshing. The characters discuss and perform the music; they don’t burst into song as characters do in musicals. The merging of reality and fiction was at first confusing yet intriguing. I didn’t know what to believe. Was Prince “The Kid”? Did he really have an abusive father, whose hateful traits he didn’t want to emulate? The main characters used their actual first names, but, I have since decided, the stories were concocted. While Prince’s character was simply called “The Kid,” the members of the Revolution used their real names. Apollonia used hers (kind of—her name is Patricia Apollonia Kotero). Minneapolis is Minneapolis, unlike how Gotham City is clearly Chicago.

I don’t have to tell anyone in the music business or anyone who’s lived around Minneapolis about the mystique of First Avenue. Fame and fortune isn’t a sure bet after playing First Ave, but, many acts will attest, it won’t hurt. The building, previously the city’s Greyhound station, hasn’t been dressed up. Ever. The iconic stars painted on the exterior display the names of the musical acts who’ve played at the venue and tell a piece of the place’s history. Local boys like Prince, The Replacements, and Hϋsker Dϋ have stars alongside big names

Can you see the stars?

like The Melvins, Nirvana, The Pixies, and the Sugarcubes, who played First Ave as relative nobodies. In fact, I had a ritual during my college years in which I would kiss my left hand and leap to give The Cure’s star a little love slap each time I walked by. I never saw The Cure at First Ave—by the time I was old enough to see a show, they were big enough to play Met Center.

Inevitably, the area has changed. The city has ameliorated around it. The club is no longer surrounded by hourly rate motels and strip clubs. Now it’s next to the Target Center, shiny new hotels and a Hard Rock Café. But the building at the intersection of First Avenue and 7th Street looks the same, and if you drive by, you can imagine that the Minneapolis of today is the same city that “The Kid” and Morris Day rivaled over gigs and Apollonia.

In the event of this anniversary, I urge you to see PURPLE RAIN, especially if you never have. Yes, it’ll feel dated (it has been 25 years!), but that’s the point of history. Plus, if you can visit Minneapolis, catch a show in the Main Room or the Entry. Now that the place is smoke-free it smells better than this dank bus station ever has, and you’ll experience a piece of the Midwest’s rock heritage.

Oh, and while you’re at it, be sure to purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.

A documentary about my old friends’ band, Cloud Cult

The Cloud Cult Experience: A New Indie Music Doc by Denise DuVernay (April 12 column at matchflick.com, but here with added fancy stuff).

No One Said It Would Be Easy drops April 21

The film opens with fan testimony about the band Cloud Cult, and cuts to footage on the Minowa farm north of the Twin Cities. A modest house sits in the background as a couple tends to a garden. They are the kind of tree-hugging, vegetable-growing, animal-loving, reducing, reusing, recycling people you’d dislike if you had any inkling that they weren’t the real deal. But they are the real deal, and you have no excuse to not like and admire them. The themes and ideals in Cloud Cult’s music are the principles by which bandleader Craig Minowa lives his life. Craig is an old friend of mine, and it’s quite strange but lovely to hear his music on the radio and see an animated version of him and the band performing “Lucky Today” on television, including this Esurance commercial*:

My first memory of Craig is him sitting on the couch in the living room of one of his Minneapolis apartments, eating bean soup that his mom had sent home with him after a visit to his parents’ place in Owatonna. I had gotten disastrously ill at school and couldn’t imagine driving all the way home, so Jeff, the guy I was dating (and later married, and then later divorced), gave me the key to his place so I could wait it out (and puke if need be) there. Craig was put in the odd position of looking after a sick chick he didn’t know. It was awkward but sweet.

A couple weeks later, I met painter Scott West. I was nervous out of my mind because the others had warned me that Scott could be a bit abrasive. Craig and Jeff could be called sensies, but Scott could not. He said what was on his mind, pretty or not. After a while, his paintings stopped giving me the willies (this was a good thing, as several of them adorned the walls of my apartment and contributed frequently to my dreamlife).

Most recent album Feel Good Ghosts

When I first met him, Craig had just finished many of the songs that would later be known as The Shade Project. Craig and I were members of a family of friends who nurtured and inspired each other for 10 years. Correction: the family existed before I joined it and lives on without me, but those 10 years will always enrich me. Not that it was all fantastic: there were personality conflicts between Connie and me that catalyzed behavior that I’m not proud of. And of course, my ugly role in the breakup between Jeff and me will nag at me forever, I suspect. But there’s plenty I don’t regret, and I will always be grateful for the time I had with some of the warmest, most talented people I have ever known. In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve shared my history with Craig, Connie, and Scott (let’s be fair: I have a bias) but that should not Recent album: Feel Good Ghosts Recent album: Feel Good Ghosts negate any praise I give about the documentary NO ONE SAID IT WOULD BE EASY: A FILM ABOUT CLOUD CULT, if only because I am not alone in my praise for the band and the film. Check out the trailer:

The documentary gives any Cloud Cult fan the chance to get to know all the bandmates in a truly intimate way. But film viewers who are unfamiliar with Cloud Cult will appreciate this film on its merits alone. NO ONE SAID IT WOULD BE EASY is an important documentary about the rise of an indie band, American music and the touring life, plus it shares a green message, it’s entertaining, and a truly accessible documentary. It’s enriching and educational, while still being intriguing and fun to watch—all elements of a good documentary, no? Filmmaker John Burgess, along with Scott West, filmed interviews and live shows and collected footage to create a film that illustrates why seeing Cloud Cult live is a much different experience than the average club rock show. Not only does the live art being created on stage bring a unique quality, but the music itself is innovative and beautiful. Craig Minowa is a bandleader, singer, and songwriter, but he is also a composer who has written full orchestral works. Like a true wunderkind, story has it that his high school orchestra teacher was moved to tears by compositions he penned as a teenager. With this uncanny ability to hear full arrangements in his head and put them down, it only makes sense that he would seek string musicians. Violinist Shannon Frid is a recent addition to the band; Cloud Cult had already established a name for themselves, thus were easily able to make use of the Internet, but Craig’s approach at promulgating his need for a cellist over 10 years ago was considerably lower-tech, and the story of how Sarah Young and Craig found each other is shared in the film. The relationship and camaraderie of the band is shared, but not in an uncomfortable, Behind The Music voyeuristic way . . . the film contrasts the bandlife like a Pixies song: quiet, loud, quiet. Traveling in the bio-diesel van, while sometimes funny, can be long and dull. Next, the band throws themselves all in to their stage performance. And in the time between tours, we are shown the quiet of the farm. In reality, these moments could be those of any indie band– it’s a fantastic glimpse into that world, like younger versions of Thurston and Kim. The documentary NO ONE SAID IT WOULD BE EASY drops April 21, but is available on Cloud Cult’s homepage (www.cloudcult.com). The special features include live performances and music videos, and comes with digital downloads of live performances printed on plantable seed paper.

One of the videos on the DVD (and one of my favorite CC songs):

Chloe, my lovely cat Craig rescued off the mean streets in 1999.

* they didn’t sell out by agreeing to be in a commercial– Craig had been approached by many companies, and he agreed to do Esurance because their paper-less, eco-friendly approach matches Craig’s personal ideals.

Why did i google pictures of Ricky Schroeder and Cat Ballou?

This week’s column at Matchflick is an homage to the 25 Random Things Facebook meme. I have offered 25 random movies. Here is a sample:

The instructions are easy: list 25 movies that say something about you, then tag the friends you think are most likely to do it, too. Also, tag the person who sent this to you.

Oh, wait, this isn’t Facebook? And the meme isn’t movies, it’s 25 random things? Oh, well, my column, my rules.

1. FIGHT CLUB (1999)
Shows my complexity—sure, I’m generally a pro-Ikea, anti-violence kinda gal, but something about Brad Pitt and Edward Norton beating the crap out of each other without shirts is, well, fine with me.

2. HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971)
“That’s wonderful, Harold. Go, love some more.”

3. UHF (1989)
Shows my undying love for Al, plus my childlike whimsy. And I adore the commentary—Victoria Jackson cuts the call short because she’s making scalloped potatoes.

Now I know you want to read more, so after you watch the Kittens on Kittens clip two or three more times, head on over to my column: http://www.matchflick.com/column/1874

Why I Love LA (repost of Jan 4 column at Matchflick.com )

Apple Pan yumminess & good company.

Happy new year!

I was lucky enough to get to California during my break. Not that I don’t adore Milwaukee, but, well, you know. I spent time in Sacramento, Davis, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. I had delicious food and fun with friends in Davis and Sacramento, and a jolly time in San Francisco. Yes, the MLA convention and Margaret Atwood Society business meeting were indeed a blast, but the highlight in San Francisco was probably the Patton Oswalt show at the Cobb Comedy Club. He was hilarious, of course, and we were treated to a guest we weren’t expecting: Dana Gould! (You might remember him from writing for The Ben Stiller Show and The Simpsons). My BFF Dr. Karma and I had a chance to chat with both of them after the show. Dana Gould was very friendly and gave us some insider anecdotes about the origins of some of our favorite Simpsons episodes. (The PLANET OF THE APES musical: Dana Gould’s. Yes, he’s that cool).

On the 30th, I left the San Francisco Hilton and took the BART to SFO, where a Southwest flight brought me to LAX. My first time! Justin and Mr. Fabulous picked me up and took me to a dog park in Culver City and then to their place. For dinner, we went to Apple Pan, a pie and hamburger favorite in LA. Justin’s friend Jorge took over my camera and took some adorable group shots. After dinner, we had drinks and pool

Justin & Du in Hollywood Hills

and The Joker, a bar that feels like a Milwaukee corner tap (although notably lacking in smokey haze).

New Year’s Eve was a terrific day! Justin and I started with a yummy breakfast at Nick’s. I hadn’t intended to get much exercise whilst in California but I met up with a friend from elementary school (gotta love Facebook!) who took Justin and me on quite the walk. Kevin works in post-production in Santa Monica, so we got to see a real-life post production facility. The employees were buzzing because rumor has it they’ll be handling dailies for Lost this month. After we saw Kevin’s workplace, we walked to the Third St. Promenade (where I was tempted to pop into the Gap to buy a sweater; I was quite chilly). We then checked out the Santa Monica Pier and then walked to Venice Beach. I was nervous as I’ve seen AMERICAN HISTORY X, but luckily I was not recruited to a local hate group. Justin and Kevin wouldn’t have let that happen to me anyway, I am sure.

On New Year’s Day, Justin and Kathy took me on the ultimate tourist drive around Hollywood. We went up into the Hollywood Hills and got quite close to the sign (not a great drive for the easily motion sick), and then down to the Walk of Fame and Mann’s Chinese Theater. I compared my hand size to Marilyn’s, and briefly wondered where Ali McGraw is today. I bought a cherry diet Coke at

My pinkies are shorter than Marilyn’s.

the soda fountain in the Disney store and snuck a pic of Gene Simmons reading the paper. We checked out the Roosevelt. I’m not going to go so far as to say that I, too, think it’s haunted, but there is definitely some energy in that place. And candles. We took a little drive around Beverly Hills, where I saw the Beverly Hills Hotel and asked Justin and Kathy if they’d ever seen THE SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS. They hadn’t, but Justin said that Natasha Lyonne is in some bad shit, like drugs. I sure hope that’s not true; I like her so much. For dinner, we went to Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles, which is just as incredible as you think it is. I am still thinking about the mac and cheese and the real lemonade. We were home early and watched THE VISITOR, one of the best films from 2008. The story was the perfect balance of moving and subtle, and the acting was freaking amazing. Richard Jenkins is more versatile than Meryl Streep.

On Friday, after a kick-ass breakfast (pancakes the size of frisbees!) at the Griddle on Sunset, we drove to Watts to check out Watts Towers. (Yes, I have wonderful friends who were willing to drive their Stratus with Illinois plates through Inglewood for me. They rock). There is some restoration going on so we couldn’t get in the gates, but Watts is definitely a cool thing to check out, you know, during the day.

I think he was counting the typos in LA Weekly

(Thank you for the tip, Globetrekker).

Justin and Kathy are continuing the tradition of Food Night here in LA, and tonight I cooked. My friend from all the way back to the second grade and his wife Laura came, and my friend from grad school Paul and his wife Olivia were here, and Justin’s friends Karen and Shawn from college as well. And I hope they keep hanging out long after I’m gone.

So a few things I’ve learned about LA: parts of it look and smell like Mexico. While everything is crazy expensive compared to my down-to-earth, Midwestern sensibilities, it’s not as spendy as San Francisco, where you’re charged a 5% tax on imaginary purchases. Also, I thought I’d see celebrities constantly on the streets and in restaurants. I imagined literally tripping over celebrities, but the only one I saw was a friend of Justin and Kathy’s who was invited over, so that doesn’t probably count as a bona fide celebrity sighting. Word is they’re all out of town right now anyway, so maybe next time I visit I’ll see Kiefer Sutherland get into a shitfaced scuffle. Dare to dream. Another thing: not everyone is plastic, self-centered, and rude. I’ve met some really great people here (granted, most of them aren’t from here, but that’s neither here nor there).

Du is a film columnist, did you know that?

For about a year  and half now, I’ve been writing a film column at matchflick.com, which is a social networking & review site for film fans. I’d like to get all of those columns on here eventually, but for now, I’m sharing just the section in today’s column that I wrote on Persepolis.  Before I started dating the bf, the only graphic novel I’d read was Maus–I had read in it college and then used in my lit class at Marquette University because it’s fucking awesome! I have no real idea why I never gave any other graphic novels a chance, but when the bf went to the Wisconsin Book Festival a couple years ago, he heard Satrapi speak and bought me several of her books. I inhaled them like warm Krispy Kremes. So here’s what I have to say about the film.

PERSEPOLIS (2007)
Marjane Satrapi opens the first installment of her autobiographical graphic novel with a short history of Persepolis, an ancient Persian city the ruins of which are located in modern-day southwest Iran. Iran has always been an area of riches for various reasons, leaving it open to invasion and occupation, most recently in the 20th century because of its oil. Writing in 2002, Satrapi explains that writing the graphic novel was important to her because she believes “that an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists.” And what American can’t relate to that sentiment? Even a bare bones knowledge of the recent history of Iran is unnecessary to the understanding and enjoyment of Persepolis the book and PERSEPOLIS the film; Satrapi fills in

Just a normal girl embracing her Sex Pistols phase.

all the blanks. It’s a story of a girl and her family, first and foremost. Where she’s from and where she goes is practically incidental. She could have been a child of the ’70s and ’80s anywhere, with her bad taste in heavy metal and her adoration for Adidas. Her beautiful descriptions of her precociousness as a kid, the sassy way she calls her teachers and other adults out on their flip-flopping and hypocrisy (such as when the students are made to rip out of the picture of the Shah from their textbooks by the same teacher who had previously told them he was handpicked by God), the audience is made to adore young Marjane and cheer her on, while simultaneously pleading with her to stop and make things easier on herself. The visual beauty of the film matches the books — the simplicity of the black and white drawings is contrasted by the richness of every frame and every scene.